


Push

by templorandom



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: Blow Jobs, Canon-Typical Violence, Cunnilingus, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Hand Jobs, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Oral Sex, Reader-Insert, Requited Crush, Rough Sex, Vaginal Fingering, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-03
Updated: 2020-11-03
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:09:09
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,205
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27358552
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/templorandom/pseuds/templorandom
Summary: Peli Motto helps you land a job with the Mandalorian. How long before you can't deny your desires any longer?
Relationships: Baby Yoda (The Mandalorian TV) & Reader, Din Djarin/Reader, Din Djarin/You
Comments: 28
Kudos: 216





	Push

**Author's Note:**

> Okay so I had been working on this for a month, and then S2 premiered. And I was like, "I called it! I knew he was gonna go back to Tatooine!" But that doesn't matter now because I was too late posting this. I even had to not read any other fics, for fear that I would end up influenced by something I read! I pushed (no pun intended) myself to get it out, and it was a challenge in many respects. Anyway, this is my first Mando fic, and it's my first time writing a one shot this long, so I hope you enjoy!

You wanted off.  
  
Off this kriffing, Maker-forsaken planet. How that was going to happen? You weren't sure. And it riddled your mind endlessly, as there wasn't much else to do on Tatooine.  
  
Sometimes you'd stay up late walking through the sandy dunes to search for your favorite moon, though you knew it wasn't very safe. There could be any sort of creature ready to strike, and the Tuskens also protected their lands fiercely.

Luckily you'd practiced enough of their language to communicate with them. It had taken quite a long time but after years of crossing paths, they learned that you were not a threat. Now they simply waved to you, letting you wander by. You knew it was a privilege, their neutral responses, so you did your best to respect their land and stay out of the way as much as possible.  
  
Those nights when the moon chose to reveal herself, you'd talk out loud-as if she could honestly hear you-and muse about finally leaving.  
  
"How far do you think I'd make it, Chenini? Do you think I could really disappear like you do?"  
  
Her blank face would stare back at you silently, but you always kept on.  
  
"I think I would like that. I think I'd like it very much."  
  
And yet every morning you woke to the same sandy emptiness that surrounded you. It was all you could remember of your life.  
  
You hadn't been born on Tatooine, you knew. Your father brought you along after your mother left him. He always said she was careless for leaving you behind, selfish even. But that was false and you knew it even back then.

She didn't leave you, not really.  
  
He was the one who had taken you away, quick and furtive, before she had the chance to return for you. You were her only weakness and she would always tell you how she secretly planned leave him. To get away from his self-involved antics and disregard for family.  
  
It was a risky plan. Hearing it had always given you a funny feeling in your stomach.  
  
"You have to trust me, okay?" she'd whisper, kissing your temple. "I have to leave first. But I'll come back for you. I promise."  
  
You did. You did trust her. She was the only person in the galaxy who loved you. So you knew she would come back.  
  
Still, he took you away without a word. As punishment.  
  
Your father was a victim of pettiness, nothing more. But you were the one paying the price. He'd turned you into a bargaining chip-or so he thought-and now years after his death, you were stuck on this wasteland, alone and with no idea of how to leave.  
  
And you just......really wanted to. You wanted off.

At any cost.  
  


* * *

  
"I think I can give you a few credits for it."  
  
Blinking rapidly, you turned to Peli and raised your eyebrows. She was one of the few inhabitants with whom you interacted regularly.

Liked even.

The woman was always willing to give you something for the scraps you found and though it wasn't much you made, it was enough to survive. And enough to save, little by little, and maybe-finally-find a way to leave Tatooine permanently.  
  
"Okay," you nodded, pursing your lips. The dark haired mechanic glanced at you briefly, motioning at her droids to gather the semblance of wares she’d chosen.  
  
"You doin' all right? You've got that look in your eye again."  
  
A small smile crossed your lips. "Yeah. Just off in another world."  
  
She huffed softly. "Still hopin' to leave?"  
  
"Yeah. I know it'll happen," you shrugged. "I just have to wait for the right moment."  
  
Peli paused, tapping her finger against her leg. Then she grinned suddenly as she gave you the credits she promised. "How 'bout you stick around and help here? Might give you the chance to hitch a ride whenever someone comes to the hangar."  
  
Your eyes widened slightly. Peli was generous of course, but this…this was something else. Her offering could change your life.  
  
"Really? You'd let me work for you?"  
  
"Well, I couldn't pay you much," she warned, the pitch of her voice rising. "But if you wanted the chance to leave, this'd be the place to start, right?"  
  
Your face softened as you looked back at her. "Thank you, Peli. I'd really like that."  
  
"Oh, it's nothin'," she said, waving her hand. "Can't blame ya for wantin' to get of this dry lump of rock, haha!"  
  
You laughed softly, nodding at her again, and felt a lightness in your chest that was unfamiliar.  
  
You welcome it though. You had no clue how to name what it was, but you liked it.

The feeling lasted for a while, and you used it to propel yourself into helping Peli. Anything you could clean, you cleaned. Any stray scrap, you'd organize it or fix into something else. You even polished her droids daily, wiping a rag across their shiny surfaces affectionately.  
  
And it was like that for a few weeks.

Wake up and eat.

Walk to the hangar.

Clean, clean, clean.

Chat with Peli.

Walk back home and eat.

Fall asleep.

Repeat.

As you got used to your new routine, you eventually realized that not a single ship had landed since you took the job. It had been weeks of the same thing, over and over again.  
  
Your gratitude to Peli would never wane, of course. But that light feeling in your chest started to fade.

Whatever had been bubbling in your sternum was starting to fizzle out slowly, and though you kept helping Peli everyday-cleaning and polishing and doing every other task that you could think of in between-it didn't stop you from crying at night.  
  
Every night, without fail, the tears would come. Sometimes you'd be lying down and you could feel them streaming across the bridge of your nose. Other nights, you'd be eating and suddenly you'd start bawling, trying hard to stifle your sobs even though there was no one around.  
  
Every night. They came.  
  
Another month passed, and at that point you really just felt....absolutely nothing. You were certain that you'd see sand and nothing else for the rest of your days. That you would really die on Tatooine, not even getting the chance to finally search for your mother.  
  
And then, one day....  
  
He landed.  
  


* * *

  
"I never thought I'd see _him_ again," Peli said under her breath, and you looked up sharply.  
  
"Who?" you asked, turning your head this way and that to find the 'him' she'd just mentioned.  
  
Pointing upward, she nodded at the old ship in the distance, making its way into the hangar.  
  
"The Mandalorian."  
  
Your gaze followed the upward slant of her hand, that light feeling immediately zipping through your body again after weeks of being gone. Your eyes scanned the air above the hangar, capturing each detail thoroughly. The ship was old. Not that big really. Rusty and needing a lot of work. But you didn't care.  
  
All you saw was freedom.  
  
You followed Peli as it descended, hiding behind the woman though she was much shorter than you.  
  
Various tales of the people of Mandalore were spread across the galaxies. That they were all dead. That they were vicious. That they never really existed. You yourself had never met a Mandalorian, of course. You assumed they were nothing but myth.  
  
Your heart was beating fast. Not only could this be your chance to get off Tatooine for good, but you'd also actually get to meet a Mandalorian.

A real one.

If you had any friends, you'd certainly brag to them about this moment.  
  
"I didn't expect to see you back here so soon," Peli called out, waiting for the ramp to lower onto the sand.

When you could actually start to see him, you did your best not to blink so you could capture every detail.

He was tall, his body covered in sleek armor and completely hidden. There wasn't an inch of skin you could discern, which intrigued you. Was he really just a man under all of that?  
  
Or something else?  
  
He moved carefully and with ease, a confidence in his gait that was oddly attractive.  
  
"You took good care of my ship," was all you heard when he approached. The low baritone of his voice was curious. Soft and raspy; the modulator of his helmet giving it an inhuman quality. Something in it did indicate that there was a fire underneath, and you couldn't wait to hear him speak again.  
  
"Hey, Bright Eyes! Your dad been keeping you busy?"  
  
 _Dad?_ you thought, eyes widening. _He was a dad? Can you be a warrior and a dad at the same time?_ You didn't know. Your knowledge of his culture was practically nonexistent.  
  
Peli stepped around the Mandalorian and leaned down. When she turned you saw a tiny creature in her arms. It was green, with big ears and wrinkly skin. It looked like the smallest, oldest little man you had ever seen and it made you smile.

 _Is that what his father looked like as well?  
  
_ The baby was dressed in a brown fabric, gurgling up at Peli with the biggest, darkest, sweetest eyes in existence.  
  
"Oh, it's so precious," you said unbidden, and the steel helmet slowly turned to you without a word. You imagined the Mandalorian was eyeing you, but you honestly couldn't tell what was going on under there. The visor was completely black, giving you no indication of his thoughts or mood.  
  
"Isn't he? He's such a darling, I could just eat him up!" Peli echoed, walking toward you. She teased the young child, touching his nose softly and making faces at him. The little green thing smiled up at the woman, his small teeth just barely visible. A chuckle escaped your throat as you watched them.

Out of the corner of your eye you noticed the Mandalorian was still facing you, but your eyes were on his son.  
  
"Can I hold him?" you asked abruptly, looking between the pair. Peli glanced at the baby's father silently, waiting for his response. The Mandalorian still had his helmet toward you, completely unmoving. After a few seconds, he nodded slowly.  
  
The smile on your face widened as soon as you saw him move and you leaned toward Peli, reaching eagerly for the baby.  
  
"Hello," you intoned, watching how the large pools of his eyes searched your face. "What's your name?"  
  
The baby cooed at you softly, wiggling its oversized ears. You glanced at Peli, and then at the Mandalorian, silence again hovering among the three of you.  
  
"He doesn't have one," his father spoke.  
  
That voice. It was doing things to you. You had no idea what this person really even looked like and already he was riling up things inside of you.  
  
"You haven't given him a name yet?" Peli asked, furrowing her brow. She crossed her arms over her chest, lips pursing. "Typical."  
  
"It's a long story. We haven’t had time to think about it," he replied.  
  
"Well, he is a baby," you offered, rocking the creature back and forth in your arms. "It takes time to come up with a good name. You have to get to know them, and he can't be that old, right?"  
  
"He's 50," the Mandalorian stated.  
  
"See? 50 days, that's not-"  
  
"Years."  
  
You glanced at him again. You didn't hear that right.  
  
 _Right?_  
  
"I'm sorry. I thought I heard you say he was 50 years old," you told him, smiling a bit.  
  
"I did."  
  
At that, your grin faltered immediately. "Wh-....How? He's still a baby."  
  
"We are of the same clan, but not of the same blood," he informed you. "His species doesn't age like ours does."  
  
 _Ours_. So he was human then.  
  
"I see," you said, glancing down at the adorable little creature in your arms. "Well, it's pretty noble of you to take care of him."

“Who wouldn’t want to, with that face?” Peli asked, her voice high and loving as she tapped the baby’s nose once more. It laughed and then chirped at you, reaching up to play with your hair. Another wide smile spread across your lips as tiny green fingers waved in front of you.  
  
Peli cleared her throat. "Let's get started on the ship. It might take a while, since Mando here has a strict "No Droids" policy."

You turned to the child’s father slowly-the helmet now titled as he looked at Peli-and handed him back his son. As soon as he took him back, the baby started to squirm and make noises conveying his impatience. You watched as the Mandalorian set his son back down quietly, not even trying to shush or keep him still.

The child hobbled forward slowly. Your insides melted as you saw him moving in his little sack, walking in the direction of the speeder. He reached up toward it, hollering and looking back at all of you expectantly.

Following him, you knelt beside the bike. “You wanna ride?”

A sound came from the little guy, in the affirmative.

“Can I take him out on it?” you asked, twisting your neck to look at his father.

“N-”

“Sure!” Peli exclaimed. “It’ll give us the chance to catch up.”  
  
You stared between the two of them, unsure of how to proceed. Peli’s eye’s met yours, narrow and full of meaning. Your gaze then slid to the Mandalorian who was facing her, helmet titled to the side again. Still, you couldn’t begin to guess what he was thinking, but you didn’t think it was anything positive.

“Oh, just let them go, Mando. You can trust her,” the older woman insisted.

The Mandalorian kept staring at her for what seemed like ages, until he uttered a single word.

“Fine.”

You immediately jumped up, looking around for something to carry the baby in. He stepped forward and handing you a satchel wordlessly.

“Thank you,” you told him carefully, blinking up at his visor. He only nodded down at you.

“Okay, little man, let’s roll!” you exclaimed, swooping him into your arms. The baby squealed loudly, and laughed as you place him inside. You straddled the bike easily and revved it up.

“See you soon!” you told them and you took off, circling around the hangar before zooming towards the dunes.

The whole ride the baby was yelling, glancing up occasionally to give you a smile. You noticed how his big green ears flapped in the wind and you couldn’t help but laugh at how sweet and silly he looked.

He loved it. The faster you went, the louder he yelled. You did a few tricks-circling in the sand, descending over particularly steep slopes-and eventually sped back to the hangar. The last thing you wanted was to have a Mandalorian coming after you because he was worried you took his son.

When you parked the speeder, you could still feel the baby’s energy. He was excited, hopping and bouncing within his little carrier. His father watched you as you approached, completely silent and unmoving.

“Your kid is a little speed demon,” you said, handing his son back carefully. The baby’s excitement must have rubbed off on you, as your voice sounded breathless.

You hadn’t had that much fun in a long time.

Once the child was safely in his father’s arms, you retreated to gather your tools. Your face was starting to hurt from smiling so much already. _How could something be so tiny and so cute?_ you thought.  
  
Suppressing a squeal, you walked back to everyone, a rush of enthusiasm flowing through you. But as soon as you came back, you could instantly feel another shift of energy. Peli was staring at the Mandalorian, arms akimbo. The warrior stood facing her; baby in arms, completely still. She began tapping her foot and then a single brow raised.  
  
You knew what that meant.  
  
"Fine," you heard him say softly for the second time that day, a distorted sigh escaping via the helmet.  
  
"Great!" Peli exclaimed, clapping her hands together.  
  
"What's going on?" you asked, blinking between the two of them. The Mandalorian turned to you, not uttering a word.  
  
Peli began to walk toward his ship, waving at you to follow her.  
  
"Mando here’s gonna return the favor. He’s gonna give you a ride."  
  


* * *

  
It wasn't really a ride.  
  
Peli had conviced him to let you take care of the baby while he worked. Apparently, he was a bounty hunter. And was also trying to find the kid’s real family? You didn’t know what to make of all of that, but you didn’t think it was your place to say anything.

So you didn’t.

He'd pay you a part of whatever he earned and you could stay on the Razor Crest for the time being. Once you decided where you wanted to go, the Mandalorian would make sure to get you there safely. But that was the thing, though.

You didn’t know.

You had no idea where you wanted to go. And honestly?

You didn't care.

You were off Tatooine! For good! And you would get to take care of his sweet son. You didn't think it could get much better than that.  
  
The day you were set to leave though, your heart wouldn't stop pounding. You had dreamed about this very moment so many times over the years, and the realization that you had never been anywhere else hit you hard.  
  
 _What was it actually like out there?_  
  
And….you were also leaving Peli. She happened to be the only good thing about Tatooine.  
  
"Oh, I'm gonna miss you!" she whispered in your ear as she hugged you tightly. You held on to her just as fiercely, burying your nose in the soft scent of her hair.  
  
"I'll miss you too. I'll visit. I promise. I just need some time to see what's out there. Really just…..live, you know?"  
  
"I know," she said, patting your cheek softly. “I know.”  
  
You squeezed her hand one more time before finally walking into the ship. Your gaze stayed on her as the ramp was raised, then you followed Mando to the cockpit. Your eyes moved across everything carefully, registering every detail you could.

You couldn’t remember ever being on a ship before. It had happened, you knew, but it had been so long ago that the memory was practically non-existent. This was the first time you could remember it, and you weren’t sure what to feel as you took everything in.

Climbing up the ladder, you kept following the Mandalorian forward. Once in the cockpit, Peli was visible through the transparisteel. Your eyes stayed on her until she was nothing but a speck in the distance, and just like that you were off.  
  
Finally. You were off.  
  
Your dream had come true. Sitting behind the Mandalorian, you sighed and smiled down at the baby. You already felt comfortable, even though the Razor Crest wasn’t the biggest vessel for three people.

Well, two people and a green kid.  
  
"I'm guessing you don't know how to fly a ship?"  
  
Your eyes slid to the shiny curve at the back of his helmet. The way he’d asked you the question irked you for some reason. Why would he assume you didn’t know? He didn’t know anything about you. But you took a breath.

Because unfortunately, he had assumed correctly.  
  
"I don't. But I'm a fast learner."  
  
You blinked as you waited for his response, but it never came. He simply sat, not even turning his head to look in your direction.  
  
The baby cooed quietly in your lap. Grabbing his tiny hands, you waved them back and forth in your grip.  
  
"Will you teach me? I bet you're so good a flying. I can tell. Those tiny little hands are perfect for piloting a ship."  
  
He smiled up at you and you laughed, kissing him right in the middle of his fuzzy forehead. Little fingers grazed your cheeks and you kissed him again and again until he was giggling.  
  
"We can practice when I'm not out."  
  
You looked up again. He still was looking forward and you rolled your eyes, a small grin forming on your lips.

“You’ll need to learn in case we need to make a quick exit.”  
  
"Are you going to actually face me during these lessons or is this a new give-your-back technique you're trying out?"  
  
The chair started to move slowly and your smile got wider. When he did finally face you, the helmet was tilted to the side, as if he just could not deal with you.  
  
He was completely still, staring at you with the most unamused air you had ever sensed from someone.

And of course, he said nothing.  
  
You knew you should be grateful. He gave you a job and a way to a new life. It probably wasn't the best decision to get mouthy with your new employer. But you just really couldn't help it.   
  
There was something about his stoic demeanor that made you want to just.....  
  
 _Push_.  
  
The Mandalorian stood after a few quiet moments and you ducked your head as he walked past, biting your lip to keep from chuckling.  
  
"Your papa isn't into humor, is he?" you whispered down to the baby.  
  
He chirped at you, tapping at your lips with his wrinkly hands.  
  


* * *

  
The opportunities you had to dance were few and far between. When they did arise though, you couldn't help but take them.  
  
You shook your hips from side to side, rolling your arms in front of your face. Then you hopped toward the baby, shaking your fingers in front of his eyes.  
  
He was absolutely loving it. His big eyes were bright as he laughed, raising his arms up at you.  
  
"You're such a good dance partner! I really had no idea," you told him, pointing your arms this way and that. He squealed loudly and you chuckled, giving his head a kiss before turning to do another improvised move.  
  
When you faced the baby again Mando stood in front of you, his presence looming in the small space.  
  
You slowed your movements, but didn't stop. He had definitely scared you senseless, but he didn't have to know that. Your panting was definitely just from all of your movement, and not because your heart felt like it was going to leap out of your throat at the sight of him.  
  
"Wanna join us?" you posed, grabbing the baby's hands as you kept moving. You tried to meet the empty black of his visor but his helmet was titled down slightly, clearly not looking at your face.  
  
You followed his line of sight all the way to your shoulder. The thin strap of your tunic had fallen, leaving it completely bare. Your eyes roamed up easily and he was already looking up at your face again, as if nothing was amiss.

You blinked at him wordlessly as your hand moved to lift the strap back up, but all you got from him was a wall of nothing.  
  
"I have to meet someone to find a lead for the quarry," came from the modulator.  
  
You perked up immediately. "Can we come with you? I wanted to get some supplies."  
  
There was a pause and then a nod before he turned. Gathering your things quickly, you packed the baby into his satchel and followed after Mando, running to catch up with him.  
  
"Why do you always do that?" you asked him as you adjusted the collar of your jacket.  
  
"Do what?" he inquired, though it sounded more like a statement. His tone never held an ounce of doubt, even when you knew he had no idea what was happening.

You kind of liked it.  
  
"Any time I ask you something, you sort of stop and then nod, like you can't be bothered to even answer."  
  
You both kept walking through the crowd, and you sensed the helmet turn toward you.  
  
"That. Just like that. You're doing it right now," you said to him, hugging the baby tighter to your chest.  
  
"I didn't nod," he replied looking forward again.  
  
"Oh. So funny. Your dad is so funny," you said to the baby. "I guess he does have a sense of humor."  
  
Mando said nothing, turning to you. "Be careful and head straight back to the ship when you're done. If anything happens, use the commlink and I’ll come to you."  
  
"Okay," you said, not even bothering to stop in from of him. Your legs took you straight to a vendor selling bright pink fruit.

He was still standing there as you looked through all of the offerings. You glanced at him once more and simply waved him away. He did that thing again-paused and stared at you-before turning to leave. It only made you laugh as you watched his retreating figure.  
  
There were so many things to see, it overwhelmed you in the best way possible. You were sure there were colors you had no names for and they were all here, right in front of you. It was amazing to see and feel and smell it all. As much as you teased Mando, you really were grateful that he'd given you a chance to experience all of this.  
  
After buying what you needed, you came across an old vendor selling beautiful textiles. It hadn't escaped you that Mando's cloak had more than a few holes. _Someone as imposing as him should make sure they looked the part_ , you thought. It just would not do to wear such impressive armor and pair it with that ugly thing flailing at his back.  
  
You had to fix it.  
  
A dark swath of fabric caught your eye, and you ran your hands over it. It was an odd color; a red hue that was so dark it looked almost black, and so soft to the touch. It would definitely feel nice against his neck.  
  
You kept touching the cloth absentmindedly as your thoughts wandered. _His neck_. You had no idea what it looked like. But you definitely had the feeling it was warm. And his skin was probably smooth, too. Smooth and warm, with a nice, deep tan.  
  
You imagined running your lips across his skin, tasting it. Feeling his hair between your fingers.

_What color was it?_

It was definitely dark. You had no idea how you knew, but you did. His eyes were probably dark too.

 _Dark and warm._  
  
Everything about him was. You could just sense it, being around him. As quiet and closed off as he was, there was still something about him that drew you in.  
  
You teased and picked on him, but it was the only way he really engaged with you. If you could even call what he did engaging. And he never seemed to get mad, from what you could tell. He simply would pause and stare, but never got angry.  
  
The baby chirped and you blinked, looking down at him.  
  
"Sorry," you told him, grabbing the fabric. It was expensive. But Mando paid you well, so it was the least you could do to say thanks.  
  
Finding the Razor Crest again was easy and you locked yourself inside, just as Mando instructed. The baby started to get fussy, which you knew meant he was tired. You wrapped him up in your jacket and rocked him back and forth in your arms, humming some unknown tune that put him right to sleep.  
  
After setting him down, you got to work on the cloak, grateful the vendor had sewing supplies as well. The familiar hiss of carbon-freezing eventually met your ears and you sat up, waiting for Mando to come into the cockpit.  
  
"That was quick," you said by way of greeting, putting the needle aside carefully.  
  
"He didn't put up a fight," Mando divulged quietly, making his way forward to pilot.  
  
"Wait," you told him, your voice low so as to not wake the baby. You stood and unfolded the cloak, shaking it loose to show him. "I made this for you."  
  
He stared at the cloth silently.  
  
"The one you have on is all torn up and the spare you have is the same. I can try to fix those two, but you can have this new one to wear."

Still he said nothing.

“My mother taught me how to sew. It’s been pretty helpful, especially when I was on my own. But now that I have both of you, I have the chance to make things for all of us.”  
  
You pushed it into his hands, urging him to take it. The visor kept staring down at it and you wished he would do or say something.  
  
Anything.  
  
"Thank you," he finally replied, his fingers curling around the fabric tightly.  
  
That wasn't what you expected. Deep down you thought he would ridicule you, especially after what you just shared. Or maybe just dismiss your gift altogether.  
  
But Mando always surprised you.  
  
You nodded, gathering the scraps and materials. "I also bought some food, so make sure to eat today. And I'll stay out of your way so you can take a break. Just call me if the baby wakes up."  
  
As usual, he said nothing, sitting in his seat carefully. You chuckled softly, leaving him with his sleeping son.  
  


* * *

  
“Oh, its okay! You’re fine!”

You were whispering into the baby’s ear, trying to keep him quiet as Mando piloted the ship.

He never seemed to get annoyed when the baby cried or fussed, but you also noticed that he barely ever spoke. Only when necessary.

So from that you gathered that he preferred silence. You really did try your best to keep yourself and the baby as silent as possible.

It was hard, though.

Sometimes you had questions. And at first, you wouldn’t hold back. You would just blurt whatever came to mind. You would go on and on and he would answer, his responses almost always laconic and monotone. That made you realize that maybe he just….

Didn’t like talking.

Yet, the curiosity would build. Like, you wondered about his Creed, of course. But considering all of the rumors you’d heard about his people-most of them barely complimentary-it seemed liked a good idea to keep your mouth shut.

And maybe he didn’t want to be picked and prodded over his culture. Mando seemed like a resilient person, but you mused that the same jokes and jibes he got must have grown old by now. You teased him of course, but you were much more original-and respectful-than to take a stab at something so significant.

But still, just…normal things, they popped into your head. What did he like to eat? Did he like music? Did he have a favorite weapon that he preferred to use? What was it like, to be a single father?

You just….wanted to know more about him, that’s all.

You stood from your seat, cradling the baby carefully. “I’m going to take him below, so he doesn’t keep bothering you.”

Before you could fully turn, his modulated voice met your ears.

“He doesn’t bother me.”

You turned to look at the back of his helm. “Oh. I just thought that…”

Your voice died in your throat, unsure of how to finish. After a few seconds, the chair swiveled slowly and Mando faced you.

“What?”

Blinking, you straightened your stance. “I thought you preferred the quiet.”

The helmet lowered, and again it was silent. You looked at him, waiting to see if he would say anything.

“I’m not used to having someone on board with me,” he shared. “It’s usually just me and the kid.”

“Oh,” you said again, not sure what to make of that. “Well, I can still go…”

“You don’t have to,” Mando insisted, the visor looking up at you. “I like it when you’re both in here.”

Your mouth opened, but nothing came out. Then you grinned at him. “Okay.”

Your gazed stayed on Mando as you took your seat again, still smiling. The baby cooed, having fallen asleep again, and you both looked down at him. A chuckle fell from your lips and you glanced at Mando once more, who was already staring at you.

You held each other’s gaze for a while, before he slowly faced forward to pilot.

“My mother used to say that my father hated it when I cried,” you blurted. Mando didn’t turn around, but you saw the helmet shift just a bit, letting you know that he was listening.

“He started carrying me one day, because he couldn’t take it anymore. And apparently I just shut up,” you laughed softly. “There’s nothing like napping on your dad’s chest, I guess.”

The helmet moved a bit again. “Are you close with your family?”

You smiled, knowing he couldn’t see you. “My father’s dead. He was ill for a long time. And I don’t know where my mother is. She could be dead too, for all I know. I…I thought once I got off Tatooine, I could look for her. But I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

A single, low hum came from the modulator.

“What about you?” you asked, trying not to dominate the conversation. Especially when you had finally got him talking.

A pause. Then, “The child is my clan.”

Immediately your mind flooded with questions. _What about your parents? Are you close with them? Are there other Mandalorians? Did you have a wife? Brothers? Sisters?_

_Anything?_

But there was something about his tone that made you hold back again. A subtle sadness that kept you from pressing him further.

“Well, he’s lucky to have you,” you intoned, hugging the kid closer into your chest.

Silence flooded into the space again, and your mind wandered. “Hey, Mando?”

He turned his neck to look at you, waiting.

“I don’t mean to be annoying, but…why do you have a skull on your armor?”

He glanced down at his pauldron slowly. “It’s my signet. Our signet.”

“Signet?”

“The child saved me once. I…was close to death, and he stopped it. I was then able to kill the mudhorn,” he revealed, raising his shoulder. “Eventually, I earned it.”

Your brow furrowed and you looked down at the sleeping baby. “He stopped it.”

“Yes.”

“A mudhorn.”

“Yes.”

You bit your lip, confusion clear on your face. You looked down at the baby again, more questions coming to your mind.

“Interesting,” was all you were able to say, blinking back at him.

* * *

The kid had taken to napping with you.

He would curve around your head, his fingers gripping your face gently. His cute little snores would soothe you to sleep easily.

But the kriffing ship was too cold.

The recycled air would wake you and your skin would be pebbled from the chill. The only thing you could really do was put on more clothing, which was fine. That usually helped. It was the baby who was a greater concern, and you always made sure to cover his body with your own once you were layered and protected.

“Is that better?” you asked him for the hundredth time, placing a kiss on his ear. He gurgled sleepily, nuzzling into your neck. You closed your eyes again easily, hoping you might be able to get a few more hours of rest.

The sound of quiet footsteps reached your ears after a while, but you tried your best to ignore them. You knew it was only Mando and sleep was your current priority.

Then somehow you felt him enter the space. You sensed his presence as he stood over the two of you, presumably watching as you slept.

You tried to parse through your hazy mind for some kind of quip to let him know how creepy he was being, but it escaped you. Both the cold and your exhaustion were overpowering any sense of wit you might normally offer him.

He left, from what you could surmise of the retreating footsteps you heard, and thought nothing of it. You felt your mind easing back into that wonderful blankness and you were almost unconscious when a subtle weight settled across your frame. Your body immediately shivered in response, and the faint scent of blaster residue filled your nostrils

Mando had gotten one of his cloaks.

For you.

Or…maybe it was for the baby?

Yeah. That made more sense. It was his kid after all. Why _wouldn’t_ he be more concerned about him?

The child was curled in your arms, his nose emitting tiny puffs of air that hit your skin every second or so. With closed eyes, you pulled at the cloak sluggishly, wrapping it around his body to really make sure the cold didn’t get to him. You were fine. You would make do with your layers.

You always did.

When you woke up, there was another cloak covering you. Glancing down at the baby, you checked to see if somehow you’d take it from him while unconscious. A prickly heat spread across your chest, embarrassment starting to make you sweat.

But he was still wound in the dark fabric.

You looked back and forth between the baby and your clock-covered form.

Mando had come back.

He’d come back to cover you again with the extra cloak.

You blinked, trying hard not to smile.

It didn’t mean anything, right? He was just being nice, making sure that his kid’s caretaker was okay.

_Right?_

You sat up slowly, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. Standing, you folded the old cloak neatly, placing it in the bunk. Then you picked up the baby, still heavily wrapped in his father’s cape. You made your way up the ladder to the cockpit and quietly walked inside.

“Morning, Mando,” you greeted, yawning slightly. You saw the helmet lift, looking up at the stars sliding past the transparisteel. Then he looked back toward you, the tilt of the beskar slightly mocking.

“Or…whatever. You know what I mean.”

You took a seat behind him, hugging the baby and rocking him back and forth slowly to keep him sleeping. Your lids were closing again, the quiet of the space pulling you back into unconsciousness.  
  
"…….your help."

Blinking, you sat up slowly. “Did you just say something to me?”

There was a pause. Then the pilot’s chair turned slowly to face you. Mando looked at your face, his demeanor as unreadable as ever, before he repeated himself slowly.

“I need your help.”

“Okay,” you immediately responded, nodding groggily. “Sure. Whatever you need.”

“You have to listen first,” he instructed, taking a deep, distorted breath. “This bounty I’m looking for…he’s heavily protected.”

You stared at the visor carefully, waiting for him to continue.

“If I go after him like I normally do, there’s a high chance I won’t get him. Others have tried and the lucky ones managed to come back alive.”

You pulled a face. “Really? It’s pretty rare that someone could get away from you. Is he that deadly?”

Mando paused. When he spoke again, his voice was low. So low, you had to lean forward to catch what he was saying.

“Yes. But there is….one way I can get close.”

“How?” you asked, whispering as well. “Are we going to spy on him? That sounds like fun.”

“No,” he cut you off, sighing. When he spoke again, his voice held something that you could not place. You’d never heard it before. To the untrained ear, it would sound like Mando’s voice never strayed from its flat affect. But as soon as you heard him speak, you knew something was off.

“He…I’ve been told that….he has a preference for…..beautiful women.”

You thought over his words and grinned before looking into his visor. “I see. You want me to seduce him. Act as bait.”

“I want you to distract him,” Mando immediately clarified, pointing a finger at you like he occasionally did with his son. “I’m not asking you to do anything you don’t want to do. I just need you to get his guard down. Literally.”

You simply nodded, giving him a knowing smile.

“It’s dangerous, but I’ll be right there. And I’ll pay you 25% of what I earn.”

You tilted your head, thinking over his offer. He paid you 15% now, so 25% was not bad. And it didn’t really bother you that the bounty was dangerous. If women were his weakness, you figured you would be okay, especially if Mando was keeping watch over you.

“Okay,” you replied easily, shrugging at him. “I just have a question.”

“What is it?”

“You think I’m beautiful?” you asked, quirking an eyebrow at him. He stared at you, and you could have sworn you heard him scoff lightly under his breath before swinging the chair to face forward.

“I just want to make sure!” you call over his shoulder. “It’s okay if you do, you know. I really don’t mind. It just means you have good taste.”

“We’re landing soon. Get ready,” he said, ignoring your previous words.

Rolling your eyes, you strapped yourself into the seat and secured the baby as well. “So how am I gonna do this? I just walk into whatever cantina he’s in and expect him to fall madly in love with me in all my oil-covered finery?”

Mando simply tapped buttons and flicked various switches of the control panel.

“I know someone who can help.”

* * *

“Oh, my Maker, Mando. It’s been ages!”

Romisa was everything Mando was not. She was beaming, a wide smile pulling at her full lips, and the air around her smelled soft and sweet. Her eyes were framed by long, beautiful lashes and her light pink skin made you stare. It was such a lovely color.

Everything about Romisa was lovely.

“I was wondering when you would come back to visit me,” she told him, placing a graceful hand on his forearm. Her lekku twitched slightly as she gave him an affectionate look.

“How did you two meet again?” you inquired.

“We have mutual….contacts,” Mando offered mysteriously. _Of course he would give that kind of answer_ , you mused.

“How _are_ Xi’an and Qin? Have you spoken to them lately?” she asked, her smile turning slightly mischievous.

“They’re taken care of,” he responded, and again you shook your head at his odd answers.

“I’m not even going to begin to guess what that means,” Romisa told him, laughing slightly.

“We’re here for a bounty,” Mando began, and pointed in your direction. “She’ll need clothes. And I’ll have to leave the child with you.”

“Oh, of course. Anything for you. And this little bundle of cuteness!” she squealed, leaning down to make faces at the baby. He reached for her and you handed him over, smiling as he tapped her cheek.

“I’ll pay you. Whatever you ask,” he told her as you all walked into the back of her shop.

“Nonsense. After what you did for me? I would never take your money.”

Mando stared at Romisa, then nodded slowly. She kept walking into the back but he paused, which made you stop as well.

“Go,” he told you, looking straight ahead. “She’ll look after you.”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be here,” was all he said. You paused to look up at him, waiting for him to say something else, and then kept walking forward when he didn’t.

The back room of the small shop was neatly organized, long rolls of fabric coordinated by color. There was a small platform in the center of the room and stool next to it, where Romisa sat.

“Come. Stand here,” she instructed, adjusting her dress as she waiting for you to approach. You watched as she placed the baby in its floating cradle carefully, then stood again to give you the once over.

Her eyes were even more wonderful up close. You wondered if Mando and Romisa had been more than just friends, in the past. You wouldn’t blame him. Just standing next to her was pleasant in an of itself.

“I think I know what might work,” she said and turned, rifling through a rack of clothing that hung across from you. Every few seconds she would pull something and drape it across her arm, staring at it carefully before continuing.

You stood silently. The previous conversation pulling at your curiosity too much for you to not hold back your questions.

“What did Mando do for you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

Romisa turned to look at you, still flicking through the clothes. She gave you a soft smile.

“I’m sure he hasn’t told you, knowing how he is. But I grew up with Xi’an and Qin. He used to do jobs with them, a long time a go,” she began. “Mando was…different, back then.”

“How so?”

Romisa paused, biting her lip as if she was trying to find the right words. “Reckless, maybe? Like he…didn’t care what would happen. He just…did what he wanted. And got away with it, all the time. Nobody was brave enough to stand up to him. Though there were some who were stupid enough to try.”

“It doesn’t sound too different from how he is now,” you stated, giving her a half smile.

“He cares now. That’s the difference,” she responded, a soft look on her face. “And that’s how I ended up here. Even though I had known Xi’an and Qin since we were young, they weren’t the kindest. I found myself in a situation that no one would ever want to be in, thanks to them.”

Her voice was soft as well, and you could tell she was trying to suppress something that she did not want to relive. Something squeezed around your heart as you listened to her.

“Mando got me out of it, after he finally parted ways with them.”

“What changed?” you asked.

“I’m not sure,” Romisa said, her face bright again. “But whatever it was, I’m glad it happened. I’m here now because of him. And I really like this new Mando.”

She smiled as she handed you a gown, dark green and shimmery. You started to remove your clothes and Romisa turned to give you privacy.

“Okay,” you said when you finally had it on. She faced you, tilting her head to inspect how it looked on your frame.

“The color looks great on you, but I don’t know. There is something missing,” she remarked, pulling on the thin straps.

“I’ve never worn anything like this,” you commented. “It’s so beautiful. I can’t believe you make all of these yourself.”

“Well, the whole point is to see them being worn. It’s always fun to have someone try them on!”

You giggled softly at her as you adjusted the straps on your shoulders. “What do you think, little man?”

The baby stared up at you with his wide eyes, cooing. One of his tiny arms rose in your direction and you leaned forward to kiss his fingers.

“No. This is not the one. This won’t do,” she said and looked through her pile again. You waited patiently on the platform, looking at your reflection to admire the details of the dress.

“Wait! I have the perfect thing for you,” Romisa said suddenly, walking to a different rack. “Take that off, this will be the one. Definitely.”

You did as you were told, removing the beautiful gown. Placing it on her stool carefully, you made your way back to the platform and waited again.

“This is it,” she said, placing a wad of fabric into your arms.

It was pitch black and so unbelievable soft. It was almost like water running across your skin. She had to help you figure out all of the straps and ties, but once you got it on, it almost felt like you were wearing nothing.

The bottom half was a skirt that tied around your waist and flowed to your ankles; a long slit letting your right leg poke through the fabric. The sleeves hung past your hands but the top was actually short, cutting high right across your sternum. Underneath you wore a matching black strip that tied behind your back and wrapped again around your ribs. It was the most revealing thing you had ever worn in your life.

And you loved it.

“This is perfect,” you said, twirling on the platform. “It feels amazing.”

“Mando, come see!” Romisa called, walking out of the back to fetch him. A few moments later they entered the space and you looked up, tilting your head at him.

“What do you think, Mando?” you asked, lifting your arms to show yourself off. “Do I look the part?”

He was completely immobile, the visor staring at you silently. You raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for a response. The silence dragged on but you kept looking into the visor, willing him to say something.

Romisa then laughed suddenly, bumping her shoulder against his arm. “I think he really likes it.”

You exhaled sharply through your nose, rolling your eyes at him with a grin. “He certainly could have fooled me.”

“Let me get you some shoes to go with it. And I can do your hair! Oh Mando, you really spoiled me today,” the Twi’lek gushed, rushing up to you to help you further.

He was still standing there silently, the helmet now titled down. You smirked at him again before turning to follow Romisa out of the room.

* * *

“How do you even find out about these bounties, anyway?”

It wasn’t a cantina you were in. No, it was much nicer than a cantina.

It was dark, and everyone was dressed beautifully. You could see now why Mando enlisted Romisa’s help. If you had walked in with your own clothes, you would have been kicked out sooner than you could ask for a drink.

The music was deep, something you had never heard before. But it made you want to dance.

“Don’t worry about that right now,” Mando said into the commlink. He’d secured a special one that fit right into your ear. Whenever you spoke he would immediately pick it up, and you could hear what he said without giving anyone any indication that he was speaking to you.

“Do you have eyes on him?”

You turned your head, scanning the space casually. Even if you wanted to hide your face, you couldn’t. Romisa had pulled your hair back, and slathered on some kind of gloss across your lips. She had also dusted a glittery powder on your eyelids, which made them look dark and smoky. You liked the look, even though it was not your every day choice.

“Yeah. I see him.”

“Good. Get him alone. I’ll do the rest.”

“Copy that,” you told him and laughed when you heard his sigh. “Oh, come on, Mando. You have to admit that it’s a little fun. I get to dress up. You get to watch me hang over some crime lord. We should definitely do this more often. We’d get so many credits between the two of us, we wouldn’t know what to do with them.”

“Get. Him. Alone,” he repeated, exasperation coming through the commlink clearly.

“All right! Maker, I was just saying. You really need to loosen up,” you mumbled, standing from your seat.

Your feet were not used to wearing such high shoes, but you used it to your advantage. You walked forward slowly, exaggerating the sway in your hips as you held your head high. Leaning your body over the transparisteel counter, you looked at the server with a deep gaze.

“Make me your best drink,” you ordered, lifting an eyebrow. He nodded, not hiding how his eyes roamed over your exposed skin. You kept leaning forward, tapping a finger to the beat of the music.

“I’ve never seen you here before.”

Your eyes slid to your right. The Zabrak was tall, blue designs covering his features. Tilting your head, you regarded him silently.

“Is that a problem?” you queried.

“Not yet,” he replied. Your heart sped up at his words. _Did he know? Had he seen Mando?_

But you kept your cool as you noticed the same look the server had floating in his own gaze.

“Oh, I get it. You wanna play,” you stated, standing up straight to face him. “I could be open to that.”

You knew you sounded ridiculous, but it was so fun. You didn’t know it was this easy to get people’s attention. If all it took was some grooming and a nice outfit, you might do it more often. Maybe you could even get Mando to do more than just stand and stare at you.

You were definitely willing to give it shot.

“I wish I could,” he told you, still gazing at your frame as if you were his next meal. “But Revan saw you first.”

He nodded past your shoulder and you turned to follow his eyes. You eyed the quarry as he lounged in his seat, surrounded by other brawny Zabraks. His guards, you presumed.

“If he is so interested, why couldn’t he come over here to talk to me himself?” you teased, blinking up at him.

Revan’s lackey smirked. “You clearly don’t know how things work around here.”

“Explain it to me then,” you posed, nodding at the server once he placed the drink in front of you easily. You brought it to your lips as you waited.

“Just come with me,” he said, motioning for you to follow. You took another sip of your drink before you set it down and went after him.

“Be careful,” you heard in your ear.

“I got this, Mando. Don’t worry,” you assured. As soon as you were both close to this so-called Revan, his guards stopped you. They scanned your entire frame-as if you could actually hide a weapon anywhere-and let you pass through.

“Boss,” you heard the lackey say. He turned to give you once last look before leaving you alone with his employer.

Revan had light blue skin and pure white horns. His eyes were also a piercing blue, which gave you the once over as you stood in front of him.

“Have a seat,” he told you casually and you moved in next to him. You made sure to sit close enough-but not too close-and crossed your right leg over your left, revealing everything from toe to hip.

Placing an arm around your shoulders, he faced you. “I didn’t get your name.”

“Djuna,” you lied. “And you’re Revan, from what I’ve heard.”

“What have you heard?” he pressed, reaching his other hand over to run his finger over the skin of your thigh.

“Just that. Not much else, really,” you replied. Keeping your body still, you did you best to act as though his touch wasn’t affecting you. But inside, you were screaming, desperate to crack the bones of his hand.

“I don’t know if I like that or not. I would hope someone as…interesting as you would have heard of me by now,” Revan said, his fingers growing bolder.

This was already getting old.

Shifting your head, you leaned into his ear. “I can show you something you _will_ like. In private,” you whispered.

You saw Revan’s smile as you pulled away. _Good. We can finish this and get the kriff out of here._

_I hope you’re ready, Mando._

He stood, reaching his hand out. You took it and followed him away from everyone, down a dark hallway to a row of doors. He led you into one, where you could see a single, plush couch in the center.

“Would you like something to drink?” he asked, pouring a bright colored liquid from a dark bottle. You said nothing, walking forward to force him backwards. Revan let himself fall onto the couch and you smirked down at him.

“No,” you finally said. Straddling his lap slowly, you leaned forward to run your lips over the skin of his neck. Your fingers dug into the fabric of his suit, and you knew he must have thought that you were just so into what was currently happening.

But you imagined someone else. You thought of warm, smooth skin and dark hair as you writhed over his body.

“I know how we can make this more fun,” he told you, reaching for the strip of fabric that covered your breasts. Your instinct was to push him away; tell him that he wasn’t as tantalizing as he thought he was. It was already bad enough that you were sitting on his lap, his pants the only thing forming a barrier between his skin and your inner thighs.

“I wouldn’t do that,” a familiar voice spoke behind you. Revan leaned to the side to look over your shoulder.

“Who are you?” he demanded. “This is a private room. Get your own.”

You heard Mando pull out his blaster and the Zabrak froze below you. You turned to look behind you expectantly.

“Get behind me,” he told you, barely moving an inch. You rose immediately but before you could get away, Revan grabbed your arm.

Then a blade was at your neck.

“I don’t think so,” he said under you. “You let me go or I kill her.”

“Mando,” you whispered, trying to stay as still as you could. The blade was right up against your skin and if you made a sudden jerk, it could cut right into you.

Why didn’t you bring a weapon? You could have at least tried to hide something small in the sleeves, right? This wasn’t supposed to happen. Mando was supposed to come in, and this guy was supposed to just give himself up.

He was a Zabrak, though. They weren’t known for being submissive.

Okay, so maybe you had forgotten that little detail.

“Put the blaster down,” Revan urged.

“Let her go,” Mando countered, his voice a deep rumble. He still didn’t move.

“Mando,” you said again, louder this time. This wasn’t how you wanted to die. You thought of your father-how he’d used you to punish your mother-and scoffed. Why were you always caught in the middle of things?

There was still so much you wanted to do. Find your mother. Take care of the baby. Learn more about Mando.

This couldn’t be it.

“Put it down, I said!” the Zabrak yelled, forcing your head back. You gasped, your breath speeding up as your heart beat faster. You kept looking forward, eyes never leaving Mando’s visor even though Revan held your head in the most uncomfortable position.

“Do it!”

The Mandolorian stared, then slowly started to put the weapon down. Your eyes were still following him as the visor was trained on you. Something told you that he was trying to communicate with you. You weren’t sure how, but you could feel it.

Your eyes widened and he immediately nodded.

Before he could set the blaster down, you lifted your leg and dug the sharp heel into Revan’s foot. He shouted and you dug your elbow into his torso, causing him to double over.

Even though your eyes were closed you still saw the bright red glare through your lids. When you opened them again, the Zabrak was on the ground, cradling his side. Mando then leaned down to grab his collar and drag him to his feet. You eyed the pair, running your thumb over your throat.

“Now what?” you asked.

“Back to the ship,” he stated simply.

“That’s it? What about the guards?”

“Took them out,” Mando replied.

Your mouth hung open, eyes wide. “Oh.”

“Are you okay?”

His tone was soft. Much softer than a few moments before.

You stared at him, taking a few breaths. “Yeah. I’m fine.”

“Okay. Let’s go back to the ship.”

* * *

“The baby is asleep.”

You stood at the door, leaning an arm on the durasteel frame. Mando turned his helmet to look up at you.

“Good.”

You kept staring at him as he sat, taking a deep breath.

He stared back.

“Thank you,” he finally said. You could hear how much he meant it. He wasn’t just thanking you for taking care of his son just now.

He meant everything.

Helping him. Doing what you did with Revan. Almost risking your life.

“Of course,” you said instantly, nodding as you looked at your feet. “Besides the whole almost-getting-my-throat-slit part, it was pretty entertaining. I don’t know when I’ll get to wear this again, but it was nice of Romisa to let me keep it all.”

“Yes,” was all that came from the modulator. He had yet to move, the visor still looking up at you.

You gazed back, an idea sparking to life in your head. You weren’t sure how this would affect your professional relationship, but honestly, you didn’t care at this point. If he wanted you gone after this, you could deal with that.

The baby would be hard to leave, of course, if that’s how things ended up. You wouldn’t like that to happen obviously, and hoped that was the worst-case scenario. But…there were things you wanted. Deep down, you had wanted them for a long time, and it was clear when you were in the private room with Revan. After tonight, you couldn’t suppress your urges any longer. This was the moment to let go, and see what could happen.

“You know, Mando….you never answered my question.”

Your feet moved you forward slowly, and you channeled the same sultry energy you had before.

“Which question?”

Chuckling, you stopped in front of him. “You never told me if you liked how I looked in this.”

The T of his helm was raised to your face. His thoughts were still a mystery to you, even after all of these months traveling with him and the baby.

You knew you’d just have to take matters into your own hands.

Or rather, his.

“The fabric is really soft, you know. It’s like I’m wearing a cloud on my skin. It’s like nothing,” you whispered. Reaching for his fingers, you slowly pulled the leather glove off and placed his right hand on your waist.

It was big. And you could sense how warm it was, even through the skirt. You took off his other glove and did the same with his left, urging him to feel.

“Soft, right?” you asked, looking down at him with a heavy gaze. He said nothing, only nodding once.

_Come on, Mando. You can give me more than that. Show me you want this as much as I do._

“Wanna know what else is soft?” you posed, grabbing the open edge of the skirt. You placed your right hand over his left and moved it between your legs easily. You led his fingers beneath your underthings, sliding them across your warming skin.

“There,” you told him, half-moaning as you climbed into his lap. He held on to you as you leaned forward, as you pulled down the cowl covering his throat. You placed a kiss at the exposed skin, grinding down on his hand all the while.

“You don’t know how many times I imagined this,” you divulged. Pulling the cowl even lower, you nudged your face into his neck, kissing and nibbling whatever you could reach.

“When I was in that room, with Revan. When I was on top of him. I was thinking of you. I was wishing it was you the whole time.”

A low growl suddenly came from the modulator. Then Mando pulled his hands away to grab under your thighs. Holding on to him, you gasped as he laid you on the mattress. He stood up on his knees to look down at you, breathing deeply.

You smirked up at him.

Gazing at his utility belt, you sat up to unbuckle it so that you could reach his zipper underneath. He in turn started taking off his cloak and then the armor followed, though his helmet remained. Once finally you had his zipper down you pulled out his dick, stroking it a few times.

“This is what I was imagining. Exactly this,” you whispered, pulling your skirt up. You ran your hands underneath again; swiping up the wetness you found and using it to coat him.

Your other hand then reached down and you pulled your underwear to the side, shifting closer to guide him into your cunt.

“Wait,” he said, holding you by your hips. His hands moved up and down absentmindedly and as ridiculous as it seemed, you thought you could come from that alone.

“What is it?”

He took a deep breath, placing a hand next to your head to lean over you. “Are you sure you want this?”

Was he being serious right now? You were literally on your back, legs spread open and waiting, and he was still asking you if you wanted it?

Quirking an eyebrow silently, you pushed yourself onto him, guiding him into your body. A high-pitched moan sounded from your throat as he slid into you, and the front of the helmet lowered onto your forehead.

“Maker,” you heard him whisper, and those were your thoughts exactly. He filled you completely, stretching your insides so well that it was hard to breathe right. You hadn’t been with many other people before, but it had never been like this.

The other handful of times it was…fine. It felt sort of good, but nothing mind-blowing. This, though. Mando wasn’t even moving yet and you could already tell he was going to wreck you.

You couldn’t wait.

Shifting your body up, you tried to slide right back down over him, though having his weight on you made it harder to move. Mando sat up a bit, still keeping his head pressed to yours, and pulled his hips back slowly until he was almost all the way out of you.

Then he pushed right back in, filling your cunt so suddenly that it made you gasp. He did it again and another squeal came out of you, this time against your will. He started a steady rhythm, sitting up fully on his knees to hold you as he slid back and forth into your body. You could tell he was liking it as much as you were, his hands roaming all over your skin and his breath coming in deep pants through the helmet.

You raised your own hands up, pulling at the strip of fabric above your waist. Your breasts spilled out and you grabbed one of his hands in yours, urging him to touch you.

“Oh, Maker,” you babbled, your eyes rolling back into your head. “You don’t know how much I wanted this.”

“I do, _mesh'la_ ,” he immediately said between grunts, though you didn’t understand the last word he uttered. “I wanted it, too.”

His thumb swiped over your nipple as he kept ramming into you and you keened, which only made him do it again.

“I wanted you to touch me, just like this. Have your hands all over me. I always thought about it. I wanted your mouth on me-”

At that, you felt him slow down.

Blinking up at him, you furrowed your brow. Then you realized what you said.

“Mando, I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking, I-”

He pulled out of you, leaning on your thighs carefully as he moved back across the mattress. Your stomach dropped as you watched him retreat. Well, it was better than nothing, right? At least you’d gotten a taste of what it would be like, to have him like you wanted.

But then he slid his hands up, pushing your skirt back to grab at your underwear. You were frozen as he dragged it down your legs, the elastic scraping over your skin. Then he knelt back up, vambrace in hand, and pressed a button.

Everything was now pitch black.

It was completely silent. You moved a hand in front of your face, but….nothing. Total darkness. The next minute, an unrecognizable sound met your ears, and then steel landing on steel.

_Did he…did he just remove his helmet?_

You had no idea what was going on, but then his hands circled your hips again. A breath escape your lungs when you felt soft hair across your stomach, and your hands moved on their own, reaching up to cradle his neck.

His breath fanned over your belly and then his lips met your skin, kissing at you softly. He moved lower, pushing your skirt aside once more to reveal your legs. He mouthed at your thigh, forcing you to make room for him until his lips finally found your cunt.

He immediately wrapped them around your clit, brushing his tongue over it languidly.

“Oh,” you said, your voice airy and girlish. Mando shoved your legs up over his broad shoulders, lapping at you like you were his favorite dessert.

“Like that, _mesh'la_?” he asked, pulling away, only to replace his tongue with his warm fingers. “Is that how you wanted my mouth on you?”

His voice. You had never heard it without the modulator. It was deep and rich, so clear without the distortion of the helmet.

It was beautiful.

“Yes, ye-” You moaned even louder as he suddenly gave you another broad lick. His mouth found your clit again and he wound his tongue up and down and around it, non-stop. Then you felt his fingers slide into you-not as thick or overwhelming as his dick was, but much more deft. He curled them inside you, stroking in places that you know had never been reached before.

He kept up his motions, like some well-oiled, perfectly constructed sex machine, and it was driving you wild. You squirmed and writhed under him, panting as if you were an aak dog in heat. Mando pulled away once more to take a breath, still moving his fingers in and out of you.

“You gonna come for me, _mesh'la_?” he asked, using his other hand to rub wide circles over your clit. That was the third time he called you that, and you still didn’t know what it meant. But you had to wait to ask him. Right now, your brain was fried because of how good he was making you feel.

“Ah-ah-y-yes,” you tried to get out, your hips lifting off the mattress at the onslaught. He pressed his mouth onto you again, much more aggressive than before. You grabbed onto his hair, grinding your cunt into his face as he continued licking and sucking at your sensitive skin.

“Yes! Yes! Right there! Oh, Maker, right there!” you yelped, and he kept sucking at your clit until your body seized up and you flooded his mouth with your wetness.

And he didn’t stop.

He sucked and rubbed until your back arched, thighs twitching against his head.

“Okay, okay,” you said softly, trying to pull away. You had to push at his shoulders a bit to get him to loosen his grip on you but eventually he did, moving his mouth back up your body.

He kissed at your stomach again and made a trail up your torso until his mouth found your breast. Even though you had just come, the way his lips pressed into your skin tugged at something in you. It seemed like any way he touched you your body reacted, instantly ready to explode.

“Mando,” you sighed, lifting your neck up as he made his way to kiss you there. He lowered his frame onto yours, and you could feel the hard line of his dick against your stomach.

“Hmm?” he hummed, nibbling under your jaw and then at your ear.

“I, um-Do you want me to-”

“Whatever you want,” he mumbled. “I’ll do whatever you want me to do, _mesh'la_ ,” was what you heard, before he kissed your lips, and….

Oh, Maker.

Of all the things you thought would happen, this was not one of them. You thought maybe he would let you get close, touch you how you wanted. A little rubbing, a little tugging. You’d both come and have a good night. But never did you think he would take his helmet off to do what he just did between your legs. And you definitely didn’t think he would ever actually kiss you.

You could taste yourself on his tongue as you kissed him back eagerly. What was it about him, being under him like this, that made you feel so….

Intoxicated?

He was like some kind of drug that you couldn’t refuse. If he told you to open the hatch and walk out of the Crest right now, right into space, you wouldn’t even think twice.

You would do it.

That’s how much of a hold Mando had on you.

You pulled away slightly, making just enough room to talk without having to separate your mouth from his.

“Can I return the favor?” you asked him. “Can I put my mouth on you?”

“Is that what you want?” he wondered, his full lips grazing against yours before giving you another kiss.

“Yes,” you breathed against his mouth. “Please. Then you can put it back in me,” you told him, reaching between your bodies to palm at him.

A soft groan escaped his lips, and then he stopped your movements. “Okay.”

You smiled in the dark, shifting so that he could lie on his back. Kneeling your body over him, you stroked his length a few times and then covered the head with your mouth.

A hiss came from somewhere in front of you, which made you laugh softly. You wrapped your lips around his tip, keeping it steady as you moved your tongue back and forth over it slowly. Then you sped it up and started to take him into your mouth a bit deeper. Mando’s breathing got much louder, but he was still being pretty quiet considering what you were doing to him.

Stretching your jaw a bit wider, you engulfed as much as you could of him into your throat, sucking at the tip and whatever else you could reach with the back of your tongue. That earned you a slight moan, but it still wasn’t enough.

You got messy with it then, bobbing your head up and down and wrapping your hand around him, squeezing gently. His hands found their way to the crown of your head, but he never once forced your movement. He simply cradled you, massaging your scalp as you moved over him. And you now could hear him cursing under his breath every time you slid back down his length.

 _That’s better_ , you thought.

Pulling off of him with a _pop_ , you kept moving your hand up and down, rubbing your bare chest against him for more stimulation and licking at the tip. “You feel so good in my mouth, Mando. I get wetter just thinking about it.”

“You’re trying to kill me,” he said, sitting up to grasp at your waist. He flipped you onto your back again effortlessly, resuming your previous position. Spreading your legs wide, there was a pause before you felt the head of his dick find your entrance and then he was ramming right back into you.

It felt as though he had knocked the breath out of your body. He was moving into you languidly, the size of him really making you feel absolutely everything. But you knew he could still give you more. You knew, deep down, that Mando could get feral with it. Really make you lose yourself.

You just knew it.

You gripped at his waistband, trying your best to form the words that you wanted to convey.

“M-man-mando,” you cried, moaning beneath him.

“What is it? What do you need?” he asked, somehow sounding more composed than you did, though not by much.

“Hard-der,” you pleaded, rubbing his hipbone with your thumb. “U-use me like you want to. Use me like I-I’m yours.”

Without stopping, he lifted your leg to his waist, immediately pounding into you just like you asked. He kept hitting one achingly sweet spot inside you over and over again, his blunt nails digging into your skin. You tried to follow his rhythm, winding your hips to meet his as he kept filling you up.

You thanked the Maker and whatever other entities existed that the baby’s crib was upstairs and shut tight. You could not imagine what he would think if he heard the sounds you were making right now. Even worse if he made his way down here, and saw what his father was doing to you.

Thought you weren’t complaining about it in the slightest.

“Do it again,” he ordered, beating into your cunt like he was doling out some sort of punishment. “Come for me like you did before.”

All you could manage to do was moan in response, reaching between your legs to rub at yourself furiously. He somehow sensed where your hands were and batted them away to replace them with his own.

He leaned over your body, using his free hand to find your jaw. “Come for me,” he repeated, the tone of his voice dangerously low.

His mouth pressed onto yours, tongue invading you as his hands and hips kept their oppressive rhythm on your lower half. He rubbed his thumb just a bit faster over your clit and something snapped inside of you, making you wail against his lips.

Your back curved severely as you came, the space between your legs now sticky with your climax. Mando still kept moving in and out of you, burying his face into your neck as your walls squeezed him tightly.

You wrapped your arms around his back, still feeling the waves rippling through your body. He stiffened over you, feeling like he was crushing your ribs with how hard he was holding on to you.

You lied together like that for a long time. You weren’t sure how much time had passed but eventually you closed your eyes, playing with the curled hair at the nape of Mando’s neck.

Eventually you heard him call your name, and you opened your eyes. It was still totally black in front of you.

“Hmm?”

“You are mine,” he told you softly, rolling to your left side.

“Pardon?”

“When you told me to use you like you were mine,” he clarified. “You are. You have been, for a long time.”

You tried to hide your smile, even though it was still completely dark. “Is that what that word means?”

“What word?” he pressed.

“That word you kept calling me. Is that what it means? That I’m yours?”

There was a pause, and then a low chuckle.

“What?” you urged, poking at what you thought was his arm.

“That’s not officially what it means, no. But that’s sort of how I meant it.”

“Then…what does it really mean?”

Silence again.

“Mando,” you whined, poking his chest now. “Why won’t you tell me what it means? Is it a bad word?”

“No,” he said quickly, his hand finding your waist. “No.”

“Then what? Will you please just tell me?”

You felt him sigh, and then he said, “ _Mesh'la_ means…beautiful.”

“Oh,” you said, your stomach doing a slight flip at the translation. He was calling you beautiful this whole time? “Why didn’t you want me to know?”

“Because the last time I gave any sort of indication of that, it went straight to your head,” Mando told you, squeezing your hip.

“So you’re calling me arrogant now?” you asked. “After giving such a wonderful compliment?”

He groaned low into your neck, which only made you laugh.

* * *

It was still dark when you woke.

You had no idea how many hours had passed.

And you were alone now.

Your heart sunk a bit when you realized, but you noticed there were actually some lights on. That meant Mando hadn’t really “left” you. He was just probably in the cockpit, taking care of the baby.

After getting through those mental cartwheels you sat up, rubbing the sleep from your eyes. Without even looking at yourself, you knew you were a mess. You could still feel how your legs stuck together, and your top was still at your waist, chest bare and free to the cold of the ship.

Sighing, you stood carefully, limping toward the fresher. Trying not to wince at the soreness in your thighs, you stripped down to wash yourself clean. The water was as freezing as it normally was but you didn’t care today. It was worth it, dealing with the cold, if it meant getting to do that again with Mando.

After you were done you dressed quickly, putting on one of Mando’s base layers. You kept bringing your arm to your nose, breathing in the scent permeating the fabric.

It smelled just like him.

You climbed up the ladder and made your way to the cockpit. Sure enough, Mando was in the pilot’s seat, donned in his beskar once more. The baby was in his crib, cooing at his father to get his attention.

“Hey, little man,” you whispered, leaning forward to kiss his forehead. The child reached up at you and you laughed, picking him up easily. “Did you sleep well?”

He looked at you with his big, brown eyes, the wrinkles in his forehead becoming more pronounced. You sensed Mando had faced you so you turned to him, a small smile on your face.

“What about you?” you asked him. “You sleep well?”

The helmet looked up at you, as blank as ever. “Better than I normally do.”

Your smile became a smirk. “I’m sure.”

He kept staring up at you, until he finally said, “I like you in that.”

You looked down at yourself, balancing the baby on your hip, then back up at him. “Yeah?”

“Yeah.”

“Well be careful, or I might end up taking all of your clothes. You’ll be naked under that armor. Though I wouldn’t mind seeing that,” you joked.

He angled his helmet to the side, which only made you grin even deeper.

“I want to get the credits for the quarry,” he began, “but there is something we have to do first.”

“Are you gonna ask me to help you again? Because I have no problem with that, I just need like a day or two to recover from everything,” you told him, setting the kid back down in the crib.

“No, it’s….”

“What?” you asked, hearing how hesitant he sounded.

Something was up.

“Remember last night?-”

“How could I forget?” you interrupted him. “Can we do it again? I really liked kissing you.”

Mando stared, waiting for you to shut up. You nodded, pressing your index finger against your lips.

“Remember last night, when I said you were mine?”

You nodded.

“I meant it. I meant that you are….a part of this,” he stated, motioning between himself and the baby. “You are part of our _aliit_.”

You held his gaze silently. You obviously didn’t speak his language, but you could instinctively tell what that word meant.

“I just want you to know that,” he said, before he turned to pilot again.

As moved as you were by his words, they kind of made no sense.

“Wait, why are you telling me this? What’s going on?”

He turned his helmet toward you slightly, but didn’t meet your gaze. “I have to take you somewhere.”

Your heart started beating fast. “What?”

He was then silent, concentrating fully on the control panel.

“Mando,” you called, your face incredulous. “Are you serious?”

Still, he said nothing.

“You just said I was a part of this. You just called me your family. You’re really just gonna get rid of me like that, after last night? I thought….I thought you wanted that too. You said you did.”

“That’s not what I’m doing,” was his response. He still didn’t face you.

“Then what are you doing?” you demanded, stepping up to him. “Please. Just tell me.”

He still wouldn’t look at you, and it was making you sick. You wanted to cry.

But you wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. You sat back down silently, crossing your arms and staring daggers at the back of his helmet.

You didn’t understand.

Why would he give you such a heartfelt…not speech exactly. You didn’t think Mando had the patience to ever give a speech, especially if it was about his feelings.

But why would he share something so significant only to shut you out right afterward?

The baby chirped at you, wiggling its big ears as it stared in your direction. You stood, picking him up again and making a face at Mando’s back as you retreated. Just because he was being unreasonable doesn’t mean you had to be present for it.

You went back down to the bunk, holding on to the kid carefully as you descended. There wasn’t really much else for the two of you to do, so you just sat, holding him in your lap.

“Why did your papa say those things to me?” you asked him, playing with his ears. “Does he not want me here anymore? Did I do something wrong?”

The baby only looked up at you, its face sad as if he could sense your feelings as well. You sighed, knocking the back of your head against the walls of ship.

It felt like an entire day had gone by when you woke up from your nap. The baby was still sleeping on your head, and not even that could lift your mood.

You immediately thought of Mando when you sat up. Part of you wanted to run back up to the cockpit to be with him. After last night it was as if you craved him, like there was some sort of force calling you to him.

But the other part of you was still furious.

You sat silently, watching the baby sleep. After a while you heard Mando coming down the ladder, and your heart skipped a beat.

“We’re gonna land soon,” he told you as he approached.

“Okay,” you replied coolly, not even bothering to look up at him. But you wanted to. You wanted him to sit here with you, lie with you and take back whatever he was about to do.

But he only sighed. Then turned to walk back to the cockpit.

You cursed at him under your breath, blinking back the tears you felt forming in your eyes. When the Crest finally landed you stood, taking off his tunic and throwing it on the floor carelessly. You found one of your own and then put your jacket on over it.

The baby kept sleeping as you picked him up and placed him in his satchel. You waited for Mando to descend, still refusing to meet his gaze, and followed him down the ramp outside.

You weren’t sure which planet you were on, both because you didn’t know much about other planets and because Mando had yet to tell you where you were. Your pride kept you from asking, so you simply trailed after him, dodging the bodies that moved past you.

You had never seen this many people in your life. You didn’t know planets could even hold this many species.

And the structures. You had never seen anything like them before.

There seemed to be as many of them as there were people on the ground, and they disappeared into the hazy sky. Your eyes kept shifting left to right, capturing every detail you could. There were flashing lights and loud conversations and all types of beings dressed in brightly colored garments.

“Stay close,” you heard Mando say, placing a hand along your back. You wanted to swat it away, but you also couldn’t deny that it felt good to have his touch on you.

The three of you kept walking, making your way through street after busy street. You couldn’t tell if you were close to wherever Mando wanted to leave you at all, but you still refused to say anything to him.

He stopped you between two buildings, an alleyway in between housing smaller shops. The helmet tilted down, meeting your gaze. You kept your face blank, letting him feel what it was like when you tried to gauge his mood.

“I know you don’t understand what I’m doing,” he stated. “But it will make sense as soon as we walk down here.”

You scoffed lightly, rolling your eyes.

“Just remember what I said,” he insisted. “You’re still a part of this.”

Then he walked forward, his gait as confident and intimidating as ever.

“Well, kid,” you said, touching the baby’s ear. “It was nice knowing you.”

You followed Mando, anger and sadness and something else you couldn’t place bubbling inside your chest. You didn’t want to believe that he was willing to throw you away so easily, but it seemed like that’s what he was doing. What other reason was there for him to bring you to this large, foreign planet, not tell you where you were or where you were going, and just leave you here?

He paused in front of one of the shops, turning to make sure you were behind him, and pushed the door open. The space was cozy and very clean. A small droid sat on the counter and it beeped as soon as it sensed the three of you.

Moments later, a young girl appeared from the back, her eyes wide and bright. You stared at her, something in her face seeming oddly familiar.

“Can I help you?” she asked, a polite smile pulling at her lips.

“Is your mother working today?” Mando asked her, the visor staring at the girl’s face.

Her brow furrowed, but she still had the smile on her face. “Um…why? Is she in trouble or something?”

“No,” he said calmly, then turned to you before looking at the girl again. “I brought someone.”

“Oh, we’re not looking to hire right now,” she said kindly. “We can’t really afford to pay anyone.”

“It’s not for that. I promise I’m not here to hurt either of you. I think you should go get her.”

The girl blinked at him, confusion clear on her face. “Ma! Someone is here to see you!”

You still had no idea what was going on. Mando didn’t even know this woman and he was bringing you to her? And not even to work.

_What was he thinking?_

Suddenly, an older woman stepped from behind the curtain. You eyed her carefully, still standing behind Mando. Her hair was pulled back, but you could see a few strands of gray. Her face was beautiful as well; the lines around her eyes only making them look kinder. The more you observed her, the more your mind started to place her features. You then realized why the younger girl looked so familiar.

Taking a step forward you revealed yourself to her, unable to move your gaze away from her face.

“Mama?”


End file.
